1. Racial and Ethnic Families: Strengths and Stresses
Chapter 5

2. Increasing Diversity of U.S. Families
Assimilation: Conformity of ethnic group members to culture of dominant group, including intermarriage.
Cultural pluralism: Maintaining aspects of one’s original culture, including language, while living peacefully with host culture.
Acculturation: Adopting language, values, beliefs, and roles of host culture.
Newcomers merge with host culture in most ways

3. Assimilation

4. Cultural pluralism

5. Acculturation

6. Changes in Immigration
Percent of U.S. population that was foreign born:
1900 ~15%
2008 ~11%
Origin of Immigrants to the U.S.
1900: 85% from Europe, 2% from Latin America and Asia
2008: 13% from Europe, 81% from Latin America and Asia

7. Consequences for (Illegal) Immigrant Families
Fear that parent(s) will be arrested and/or deported
Family Break Up
Parent(s) arrested and/or deported
Children drop out of school to work
Who cares for children when parents deported

8. Minority Group Minority Group Lacks Power Not the number of people
Minority group: Treated differently or unequally because of physical or cultural characteristics:
Gender
Sexual orientation
Religion
Skin color
Minority Group Lacks Power
Not the number of people
The amount of power

9. Prejudice & Discrimination
Prejudice: Attitude
Preconceived judgment or opinion (usually negative)
Discrimination: Behavior
Treating people unequally or unfairly

10. Prejudice
Levels of prejudice
Cognitive level (the thought)
Emotional level (the feeling)
Action level (probability of behavior)

11. Discrimination Kinds of discrimination: Verbalization Avoidance
Exclusion
Physical attack
Genocide

12. Race and Ethnicity
Racial group: Share physical characteristics viewed as socially important
Ethnic group: Identify with common national origin or cultural heritage: English, Italian, Asian
Racial-ethnic group: Distinctive physical and cultural characteristics

13. African American Families
Family structure
Single parent families more common
50% children live with one parent (mother)
Economic
Young black males-- High unemployment rates
Husbands and wives
Problems tied to economic stability

14. African American Families
Grandparent headed families
Grandparents raising grandchildren
Approximately 20% of black families
U.S. average is 10%

15. African American Families
Gender Roles
Egalitarian family patterns
Share power
More likely than white couples to share household chores
Not necessarily equally

16. African American Families
Parents and Children:
Parents emphasize self-control and success in school
Socialization—Cope with racism
Absent fathers
Black family, Bill Cosby

17. Strengths of African American Families
Strong kinship bonds
Ability to adapt to outside pressures
Strong work ethic
Determination to succeed in education
Spirituality

18. Unemployment Rates by Race & Gender

19. 10/17 American Indian Families
Heterogeneous
530 Tribes
Living on or off reservation
70% live off reservation
27% living below poverty line
13% of white only
Extended families common
Especially among those living on reservations

20. American Indian Families
Studies of relationship between husbands and wives:
Unequal sharing of household duties
Both husbands & wives felt competent:
Solving family problems
Coping with everyday issues

21. American Indian Families
Parents and Children
Children important family members
Children taught respect for authority
Listen and do not interrupt

22. Native American Families
Emphasize:
Cooperation
Sharing
Integrity
Generosity
Harmony with nature
Spirituality

23. American Indian Families
Grandparents and other Elders
Old age is “badge of honor”
Elders traditional central role in family decision making
Children taught to respect elders
Emphasis on family unity & cooperation

24. Grandparents Grandparents have important roles in children’s lives
“Cultural conservators” take grandchildren to tribal meetings
Powwow: Dance, sing, socialize, and honor American Indian culture
Provide childcare

25. American Indian Families
Mental Health
Depression & Suicide
Alcoholism
Alcohol related violence & crime

26. Suicide Rates by Race/Ethnicity and Gender

27. American Indian Families
Economic Well Being
1 out of 4 American Indians lives below poverty level
Higher jobless rates than other groups
Unemployment 50-90% on many reservations
Casinos create jobs and economic stability for some Indians

28. American Indian Family Strengths
“Relational bonding” (collaborative relationships)
Values: Respect & Generosity
Harmony and balance
Community needs above individual needs
Spirituality
Animals, plants, and other environmental elements

29. Latino/Hispanic Families
Gender Roles
Machismo & marianismo
Parenting--women
Mothers and fathers caring & affectionate with children
Children: Obedient, honest, and respectful
Family Structure
2/3 of children live in two parent families
Divorce more likely now than in 1970s
New immigrants live with family sponsors

30. Latino/Hispanic Families
About 20% of families live below poverty line
Recent immigrants low wage jobs and poverty
Middle class families increasing
Familism-Family relationships over individual well being
Large extended family networks
Strengthen cultural ties=Send children “home” to spend summers with relatives

31. Strengths of Latino families
Resilience
Adaptability
Family networks
Familism= Family first

32. Asian American Families
Chinese largest Asian American group, followed by Filipino and Asian Indians
Family structures vary:
Asian American households likely extended rather than nuclear families
Female-headed households less common
Husbands and wives follow traditional gender roles

33. Asian American Families
Filial piety
Respect and Obedience toward parents
Emphasis on Familism
Family more important than individual
Strong emphasis on education
“The model minority”
A stereotype

34. Asian American Family Strengths
Stable households
Close knit families
Emphasis on success & education

35. Middle Eastern Families
Middle East includes about 30 countries
Similar values and attitudes about family life
Most Middle Eastern children live with both parents

36. Middle Eastern Families
Divorce frowned upon
Marriage patterns endogamous
Favor marriage between cousins in some groups
Marriage rarely based on “romantic love”

37. Middle Eastern Families
Men & women culturally prescribed gender & family roles
Change: More women work outside home
Parents & children strong bonds
Since 9/11/01, Middle Eastern families experienced more discrimination and prejudice in U.S.

38. Strengths of Middle Eastern Families
Strong family ties
Strong ethnic identities
Extended kin networks

39. Racial-Ethnic Intermarriage
Number of people who identify as more than one race increasing
Especially in younger age groups
Racial-ethnic intermarriage increased %
million, 1 in 12 couples (8%)

40. Racial-Ethnic Intermarriage
Black men more than twice as likely to intermarry compared to Black women
In 2010: Nearly 1/4 (25%) of recently married Black males married outside their race
9% of recently married Black females married outside their race
(The Pew Research Center)

41. Racial-Ethnic Intermarriage
African Americans who married a White spouse more likely to be college educated than those who married within group
14.5% White-Black couples both attended college
10.2% of African-American couples college educated

42. Increase in Intermarriages
5 Reasons:
Proximity
Availability of potential spouses
Acculturation
Upward mobility
Changing attitudes

43. Future of Diversity in America
1 of 3 Americans: Will come from a “minority” background
Euro Americans: Become “numerical minority”
Compared with minority groups
Interracial marriages: Continue to increase